Uma Musume: Pretty Derby Season 3 Episode 9 Discussion

I've been listening to all the Uma Musume music in chronological/release order for a long while, and today I got to the Winning Live 01 album and realized that the "kachitai" - "I want to win" part in the OP is a reference to/a leitmotif from a part in GIRLS' LEGEND U (first song in the album), the song that plays when you first launch the game! (it's also the trailer for the game) This is really cool. So yeah, now 90% of music I listen to is Uma Musume music.

Also the name of the episode is the same as the name of the Kitasan Black's SSR support card from the game!

What brought this on lol? But their travels are really wholesome.
I wonder why they can't use 3d models from the game instead of these ones.
16:42 Okay, this transition from 3d to 2d was clean.

The race was really epic! The best one this season.
Oh, the ED is "Ambitious world", the song that was released for the first anniversary of the game in 2022!
Loved this episode too. I don't want this to end so much. (Don't really get why many other people are disliking this season, I guess it's because I don't follow Japanese horse racing closely, or maybe I'm in an Uma Musume honeymoon phase or something idk)

And oh god the commemorative drawing for this episode is drawn by the mangaka of Made in Abyss. I mean, it's cute, but... lmao

Btw there are leaks saying that there will be an Uma Musume movie! Not surprising honestly, given the huge popularity that this has in Japan. I've been imagining this happening for a long time.

And unrelated to the episode but I recently decided to learn more about Equinox, irl Kitasan Black's son, and

Chill first half, just Kita and Dia having a fun date.

2nd half though was weird in it's pacing and how it was presented.
The amount of camera panning with the models was overdone, felt really odd to watch when you compare the camera scenes to the other 2 seasons.

The last stretch felt like it was drawn out super long though and the camera pans between Kita's feet and face felt the same too.

RIP Cheval getting 2nd.

Overall, it was an okay episode, but the presentation of the race felt very weird/off with all the 3D models and camera panning, it felt super unnecessary and the race felt less involved compared to past races where they focus a good portion/half episode on it.


https://twitter.com/uma_musu_anime/status/1729886709238866269

BTW I think it was on purpose that authors made Kitasan a big Teio simp and Dia is a Mcqueen simp.
While in general if you compare their running styles/physique it probably should be the opposite.
Kitasan black was a massive horse, 540 kg at the end of her career, while usual weight is like 500~, Teio was 470~ kg. Mcqueen and Satono both there like 500~.
So it general if you compare Kita to Dia they are like Mcqueen to Teio - 1st one is much bigger.
Also about running styles. Teio never was that good at really long races, she skipped 3000 crown race cause of injury and lost 3200 race to mcqueen. While Kitasan was probably one of the greatest stayers ever, winning 3200 race twice, once with still present world record, and winning 3000m crown. Not only this but running style of Kita is really like Mcqueen, run really close to the front and overtake them at last turn with durability and stamina and then maintain the lead.
While Teio/Dia/Duramente/Rice shower were more about running in the middle and then do a really massive speedup really close to the end.
So in general if you compare styles/size Dia is close to Teio while Kita is close to Mcqueen.
Btw Kitasan son Equinox for w/e reason is exactly like Teio, runs almost dead last and then speeds up and wins, also is much smaller than Kitasan but already is top earning japanese horse I think.
Even in this race you can see that Kitasan didn't go for Teio strat, aka trying to speed up at the end, she took her lead at 3/4 of the race and kinda went from there, Mcqueen style.

@Vizvezdenec

Yeah kitasan running style is kinda almost near similar to mcqueen when you think about it.But there are a bit of difference too imo.While mcqueen also use the overtake opponent at last turn with remaining stamina,she will mostly start doing long spurt and forcing other opponent to follow to the outer lane at the final corner,making it absolutely become stamina battle between her and the remaining umas that is catching up to her.Also,it can be said that mcqueen also have higher top speed making it easier for her to use this plan but she will pretty much lose if the opponent can keep up with her even with this strategy(eg rice shower).

On the other hand,kitasan running style is more to the logical side where she mostly will take the inner lane during the final corner.Kitasan also prefer taking the lead but not fully broaden the lead against others so the pack will more likely follow the pace she set and it can be considered as the signature strategy of kitasan that the announcer sometimes said something like "it's Kitasan pace".

Locations from this episode. yes! all of them are real.
Goi Station. After that, they've ridden on an open-sided tourist train, Satoyama Torokko, of Kominato Railway to Umatate Station. The temple is Kasamori-ji
The waterfall in this episode is Awamata Falls. Then, they were ridden on an Isumi Line passing through canola flower fields and sakura trees to Ohara Station, which is the terminal station of the Isumi Line. The final destination of the trip is Taito Lighthouse.